Holiday travel has a reputation for making American roads more dangerous. The data tell a more complicated story. Some holiday periods record elevated traffic deaths, particularly during the summer, while Thanksgiving and Christmas can have average fatality levels similar to or lower than comparable nonholiday periods.
That distinction matters because a large number of car accidents during a holiday does not automatically mean the risk of a crash has increased. More people may be traveling, holiday periods differ in length, and national data do not provide a reliable day-by-day measure of vehicle miles traveled for every holiday.
The latest finalized federal data show that 36,640 people died in U.S. motor vehicle crashes in 2025, down from 39,254 in 2024. The traffic fatality rate also declined, from 1.19 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2024 to an estimated 1.10 in 2025, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The 2025 figures are preliminary. Mokaram Injury Lawyers, a Houston-based personal injury law firm, examines what the data reveal about holiday traffic fatalities and offers tips for staying safe on the road during busy travel periods.
Summer Holidays Tend to Be Deadlier
The clearest holiday pattern appears during the summer. The National Safety Council (NSC), using federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System data, tracks each holiday period separately, based on average deaths per day, because the periods are not all the same length.
Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day generally have the highest average daily traffic fatality levels among major holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day tend to have lower levels. In 2023, Labor Day had the highest average number of deaths per day among the major holidays analyzed.
Independence Day also stands out when compared with the surrounding weekends. Across the six most recent comparable 3.25-day July Fourth periods, traffic deaths averaged 435, compared with 399 during similar periods before and after the holiday. That is a difference of about 9%.
Thanksgiving Does Not Show the Same Spike
Thanksgiving traffic can feel unusually intense, but fatality data do not show a consistent increase. The NSC compared Thanksgiving weekends with periods of the same length immediately before and after the holiday.
Across the six-year period analyzed, Thanksgiving averaged 477 traffic deaths, compared with 493 during the comparison periods, making the Thanksgiving figure about 3% lower.
There is an important limitation. The NSC notes that no national system measures vehicle miles traveled for individual days. Thanksgiving could involve more driving than surrounding weekends, which would affect the per-mile risk even when total deaths are similar.
Christmas Is Also Lower Than Its Reputation Suggests
Christmas produces a similar result. Over the six comparable 4.25-day Christmas periods analyzed by the NSC, traffic deaths averaged 450, compared with 456 during comparable periods before Christmas.
The 1.3% difference was not statistically significant. The finding does not mean Christmas travel is risk-free. It shows that available fatality data do not support a simple claim that traffic deaths automatically surge because Christmas has arrived.
Alcohol Changes the Holiday Risk
One factor becomes more prominent during several holiday periods: alcohol-impaired driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 11,904 people died in crashes involving drunk drivers in 2024, accounting for about 30% of all U.S. traffic fatalities.
During Fourth of July periods from 2020 through 2024, 2,719 people were killed in traffic crashes. Among drivers who died, 38% were drunk, according to NHTSA.
The winter holidays are not exempt. NHTSA recorded 1,038 deaths in drunk-driving crashes during December 2023 and more than 4,931 such deaths during the five Decembers from 2019 through 2023.
Thanksgiving Eve Carries Its Own Warning
The night before Thanksgiving deserves separate attention. In 2023, 92 drivers were involved in fatal crashes on Thanksgiving Eve, and 33% were drunk.
Across the Thanksgiving holiday periods from 2019 through 2023, 868 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes. NHTSA defines the Thanksgiving period as beginning Wednesday evening and continuing through Sunday night.
That pattern shows why holiday safety cannot be measured simply by total crash numbers. Certain hours and behaviors may carry greater risks even when an entire holiday weekend does not have a higher fatality count than a typical weekend.
What the Holiday Data Actually Show
The evidence does not support treating every major holiday as equally dangerous. Summer holidays, particularly Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Independence Day, tend to record higher average daily traffic fatality levels. Thanksgiving and Christmas often compare more favorably with similar nonholiday periods.
Impaired driving is the more consistent warning sign. Alcohol accounts for a substantial share of traffic deaths nationwide and is heavily represented in fatal crashes during several holiday periods.
Calendar dates alone do not determine roadway risk. How many people drive, when they travel, and whether drivers are impaired all influence what happens on the road.
No Simple Answer
The answer to whether car accidents spike during the holidays is not a simple yes. Some holidays show elevated fatality levels, others do not, and the strongest national datasets measure fatal crashes better than minor collisions. The clearest pattern is that certain holiday periods combine heavy travel with behaviors already associated with deadly crashes.
Contact Our Car Accident Lawyers in Houston for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident in Houston, Texas, our team is ready to fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact our experienced personal injury attorneys at Mokaram Injury Lawyers and request your free, no-obligation consultation today.
We proudly serve Harris County and its surrounding areas:
Mokaram Injury Lawyers
Address: 2500 W Loop S #450, Houston, TX 77027
Phone: 281-222-2222
Hours: Open 24/7
Our firm is located near you. Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 29.74123620, -95.45899350
